Overview
- Stellantis said Friday it will trim engineering staff at Opel’s Rüsselsheim Tech Center to about 1,000 from 1,650, with details to be negotiated with the works council.
- Reuters has reported advanced talks for a new Opel electric SUV, codenamed O3U, that would use Leapmotor technology and target Zaragoza production in 2028 at roughly 50,000 units a year.
- People familiar with the talks say Leapmotor would supply key electronics and the drive system while Opel leads the design, with much of the development carried out in China.
- Publicly, Leapmotor told Reuters it is only discussing supplying its own components and not a full platform deal, and Stellantis described the discussions as a regular exchange without giving details.
- Stellantis bought about 20% of Leapmotor in 2023 and the partners formed a joint venture, with the Leapmotor B10 already slated for Zaragoza from the second half of 2026, a step aimed at filling the plant and cutting EV development costs.